Thank you for your article. It was very informative.
In response to the reason why attendance was lower this year. I would postulate that it has a lot to do with the subject matter and very little to do with the beautiful Texas location.
There are quite a few practicioners out there that remain excited about our field and what technological developments are showcased at the convention. However, we feel that the AIA is being hijacked by a militant, politically-active faction that is hellbent on pushing “green” down our throats. True designers are universally trained to generate solutions (that are arrived at) while balancing aesthetics, cost, rewable resources, etc…all relative to a pro-forma. It is not, nor shall it be, paramount that the product be “green”…..nor LEED certified.